Yokkaichi Banko Ceramic Ware

"Yokkaichi Banko Yaki" (Yokkaichi Banko Ceramic Ware)
Yokkaichi Banko Ware is traditional ceramics made in the city of Yokkaichi, Mie Prefecture. The city is well known for tea pots and hot pots made with heat-resistant ceramics with more than 270 years of history.

The name 'Banko Ware' derives from the great merchant Nunami Rouzan in the late 18th century. He placed a seal on the pottery with the words 'Bankofueki', or "eternity, constancy" on the ceramics. He was hoping they would be handed down through countless generations. In the late 19th century, Banko Yaki became an export commodity.

In 1979, Yokkaichi Banko Ware was designated as a traditional craftwork. It is the representative local industry of Yokkaichi. Approximately 70-80% of earthen pots made in Japan are produced in Yokkaichi.